Category: Soccer/Union

You don’t have to watch Noahkai Banks for long to see why so much hype surrounds him.

The 19-year-old centerback stands 6-foot-4 and around 200 pounds and has been a regular starter for Augsburg in Germany’s Bundesliga this season. Born in Hawaii and raised in Germany from a young age, he has been on the U.S. men’s national team radar for a few years now, including the 2023 under-17 World Cup squad.

Last September, he earned his first call-up to the senior squad. Though he didn’t play in that month’s games and hasn’t been called up since, just that one invitation got a lot of attention.

“He is a player that is really young, but with amazing potential,” U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino said at the time. “He’s really young, but it’s good to see him, because he can go fast to the next level.”

It might be too soon for Banks to make this year’s World Cup team. Then again, the U.S. centerback depth chart isn’t in ideal shape right now, and the 26-player roster might be big enough to have room for him. The starting trio looks likely to be Chris Richards, Tim Ream, and Mark McKenzie, but no one has yet locked down a backup spot.

That adds to the buzz around Banks right now, and he knows it’s out there.

“I don’t read much, to be honest, but my mom always sends everything in the family chat because she uses a lot of Twitter and apps like this,” he said. “It’s cool. It’s a pleasure.”

He said he enjoyed his senior U.S. camp, though he hasn’t had a one-on-one talk with Pochettino yet.

“I’ve already felt the excitement during my training sessions, and I can see the team playing a strong role,“ Banks said. ”The national team boasts some excellent players — [Christian] Pulisic, [Malik] Tillman, Richards — and, of course, a highly experienced coach who has managed some of Europe’s top clubs. …

“It was immediately clear that Pochettino is a world-class coach, but I wouldn’t presume to expect a personal one-on-one during my first training camp,” Banks said.

A touch of homespun warmth certainly won’t hurt his standing with fans, either. But asked if he’s thinking about the World Cup, he quickly tapped the brakes.

“To be honest, I don’t think about the World Cup at the moment, because we have a difficult situation here at my club,” Banks said. “So it’s just about going from game to game here, and then let’s see what happens.”

A sample of his play

He was referring to Augsburg being in the thick of a relegation fight. The Fuggerstädter, whose ownership group includes 76ers part-owner David Blitzer, stand 15th in the 18-team table — the last spot where staying up is guaranteed.

Augsburg fired manager Sandro Wagner in early December after just 12 games. The current boss, Manuel Baum, is an interim who coached just three games before the Bundesliga’s winter break arrived the weekend before Christmas.

That’s enough for any player to handle, not just an 19-year-old. So perhaps you can take Banks’ patience as a sign of maturity.

One of his best games this season so far was his next-to-last one before the winter break, on Dec. 13 at Eintracht Frankfurt.

Amid the hothouse atmosphere of Frankfurt’s 59,500-seat stadium — perhaps you saw the NFL games it hosted in 2023, along with decades of big soccer tournaments — Banks was one of the best players on the field. Though Augsburg lost, 1-0, he had five tackles and six clearances, won eight of the 13 duels he contested, and completed 42 of 47 passes.

It’s worth noting, too, that Banks played mostly as the right centerback in a 3-4-2-1 formation — the same setup the U.S. national team is using heading toward the World Cup. He even would have scored a late equalizer had he not been just barely offside when a corner kick was flicked on to him near the goal line.

The Bundesliga season resumes this weekend, with Banks’ Augsburg coincidentally visiting two other Americans: Borussia Mönchengladbach’s Gio Reyna and Joe Scally (Sunday, 9:30 a.m., ESPN+). There are always lots of games around Europe for U.S. fans to watch, but that one might draw a little extra attention.

It might also remind those fans that Germany has long been the top port of call for U.S. players who move abroad.

Many aspire to play in England, and the doors there are much more open than perhaps they’ve ever been. Still, the Bundesliga’s track record of being a place where Americans cannot just move but actually play and develop remains the best of any top European league.

‘Give them the opportunity’

Eintracht knows this as well as any Bundesliga club, as Philadelphia fans have seen from its preseason tours here in recent years. Former World Cup outside back Timmy Chandler has long called Eintracht home, as did Medford’s Paxten Aaronson for a while.

There’s another young American playmaker in the club’s pipeline in Marvin Dills, and Eintracht tried to sign much-touted Union striker prospect Malik Jakupovic before he decided to turn pro at home first.

“You have to give them the opportunity to grow and develop,” Eintracht sporting director Timmo Hardung said. “And I think this is what some of the clubs, us included, are trying to do: find players with top potential, with top talent, and ready to grow, ready to learn, ready to develop.”

Speaking of the U.S. specifically, he said: “The sportsmanship and the athleticism in the United States is top, and that should produce a lot of players out of the soccer landscape.”

Banks, who started in Augsburg’s youth academy at the under-10 age level, said the club has brought him along well.

“FC Augsburg is a very well-run and family-oriented club,” Banks said. “The club gives me valuable playing time, which is crucial for my development.”

He praised the club’s managing director, Michael Ströll, for having “a clear vision: Young players should make their way into the Bundesliga, and the club is also striving to further develop its playing style — with a focus on more active football.”

U.S. fans might remember that things didn’t go as well there for Ricardo Pepi in 2022, or for Michael Parkhurst in 2013. But Ströll didn’t take the job until after Pepi left, so we’ll see if things are different now. One piece of evidence is that Augsburg reportedly looked at signing 21-year-old Tampa native Santiago Castañeda in the summer.

Banks said he’s also happy off the field at Augsburg, which is just over 70 miles from the town of Dietmannsried, where he grew up. Both towns are in the German state of Bavaria, where the most famous city is Munich.

“I really appreciate being close to my family and the mountains,” Banks said. “Although I haven’t lived abroad yet, it is certainly a goal I hope to pursue in the future.”

If he keeps playing this well, the odds of that will certainly go up. And so will the odds of another national team call-up.

Mark McKenzie needed November.

When he returned to the Philly area for the U.S. men’s national team’s penultimate game of 2025 against Paraguay, it was a homecoming that he said grounded him.

He was groomed in the Union’s academy system, having spent three seasons as a homegrown player on the club’s first team, but this marked the first occasion in quite some time that McKenzie, a native of Bear, Del., returned to his old grounds.

Well, they were technically all-new grounds, considering that when he came up the ranks, Subaru Park was named Talen Energy Stadium, and the sprawling expanse that is now the WSFS Sportsplex was still a rendering.

But being back, seeing familiar faces, training with the national team in Chester, and even briefly seeing a few family members brought perspective to what he’s ultimately trying to do: find his name among 25 other hopefuls eager to make the American roster ahead of June’s FIFA men’s World Cup.

At the time, McKenzie, 26, noted that packing in all of that perspective was part of a “business trip,” one that has continued under the watchful eye of U.S. men’s manager Mauricio Pochettino as the starting center back for Toulouse, in France’s first division.

“It’s always special coming back to Philly,” McKenzie said following the U.S. win against Paraguay at Subaru Park on Nov. 15. “I saw some old friends, my family came by the hotel, and just that time to take a little stroll and grab a bite to eat reminded me of who’s been behind me on this journey, and who I’m playing for.”

Playing time has been consistent for McKenzie, who has appeared in 17 league matches for Toulouse this season, starting 16 at center back. That bodes well, as Pochettino has repeatedly noted that consistency in match play is a plus in his eyes. And considering there’s not a clear early favorite as the No. 2 center back on the field for the Americans, McKenzie has to know that his chances are as good as anyone’s.

“The biggest thing is controlling what I can control,” McKenzie said. “Sure, I think about that stuff, but ultimately it’s not up to me. That’s my mentality, my attitude going into my performances.”

Defensively, McKenzie is taking control of a Toulouse team that is eighth in the Ligue 1 standings, just two spots outside of qualifying for the UEFA Europa League next season. There’s still plenty of time for McKenzie and the team to climb before the season concludes in May, though it will take a better run than the seven points out of a possible 15 the club has collected in its last five league matches.

“Going back to my [home] club [in Toulouse], that’s where a lot of the hard work is done,” he said. “So I’m just handling myself in those ways, and just not trying to worry about the things outside my control. My job is to keep getting selected for my club, play well, and hope it’s enough to prove that I deserve the opportunity to represent my country.”

Trying to qualify for the second men’s World Cup in the United States isn’t the only thing on McKenzie’s mind. In October he became a dad, and he is trying to find the balance between those early days of fatherhood, his responsibilities to his club, and staying on Pochettino’s radar.

It seemingly worked out as McKenzie was called up for every U.S. camp in the fall cycle in October and November. In October, he told CBS Sports that the birth of his son made him feel like he had “more to play for.”

And even though his baby wasn’t old enough to understand the rigors McKenzie is going through, having his son while going through this process appeared to mean the world to the center back.

“He can’t really hold his head up right now, and he’s not really watching …,” joked McKenzie on CBS Sports’ Morning Footy show in October, “but when we look back on these moments, this is something that I’ll cherish forever; just to say that he’s out there watching his daddy play is something that I’ll hold dear to my heart.”

If fate has its way, McKenzie would be one of four players in the U.S. player pool who came up in the Union’s academy system or spent time on the club’s first team who could find themselves on the World Cup roster.

That list includes Medford’s Brenden Aaronson, Wayne native Matt Freese, and Media’s Auston Trusty, the latter also vying for a spot along the back line. Each player has been invited to recent camps, and there’s a belief that one, if not all, has a good chance to crack Pochettino’s World Cup squad.

But there’s still time before that happens. Six months, to be exact — meaning all McKenzie can do is focus on the now.

After all, it is the only thing in his control.

“Look, I’m trying to make the decision as difficult as possible [for the U.S. coaching staff],” he said. “I only do that by being at my best when I’m with my club and making the most of my opportunities when I get them. I just plan to do what I do and showcase my talent to the best of my ability, and hope that’s enough.”

LEEDS, England — When Brenden Aaronson joined Leeds United in 2022, the fans welcomed him in their traditional way: They wrote him a song.

Come to Elland Road and you will see him play.

Signed from Red Bull Salzburg and he’s here to stay.

I really want to live in Beeston with you.

You’ll be my American boy, American boy.

Since then, relations between Leeds fans and the Medford native haven’t always been so warm. In Beeston, the Leeds suburb near the club’s Elland Road stadium, they remain scarred by his season-long loan to Germany’s Union Berlin after the Peacocks were relegated from the Premier League in 2023.

A giant banner on the outside of Elland Road’s main stand proclaims “Side before self,” a quote from Leeds legend Billy Bremner. He captained the team during its most famous era, including league championships in 1969 and ’74, the 1972 FA Cup title and three more finals, and the 1975 European Cup final. Every player who has entered the gates since then has been held to his words.

Aaronson is also chased by a criticism he gets from U.S. men’s national team fans, too: He doesn’t score enough goals as an attacking midfielder. That one carries more weight at the moment.

Lately, though, the tides on both sides of the Atlantic have turned back in Aaronson’s favor.

In the U.S., his high energy and pressing have earned Mauricio Pochettino’s respect. In Leeds, he had two assists and many more plays that could have added more as the club went seven games unbeaten from Dec. 3 through New Year’s Day.

Then came this past Sunday, and perhaps the most famous game of all in these parts. Elland Road is an electric venue on any day, but it goes to another level when Manchester United visits from across the Pennine Hills.

It was the 114th clash between the clubs, the modern version of a regional rivalry between Leeds’ Yorkshire and Manchester’s Lancashire that dates back to the 15th century. Though it was a 7:30 a.m. kickoff in Philadelphia, if you woke up in time, you’d have been jolted out of bed by Leeds’ fans singing their club anthem, “Marching On Together.”

Flying Philly’s flag worldwide

With that as the backdrop, where better to start this World Cup year than at the home of the most successful men’s soccer player from the Philadelphia area?

Yes, Aaronson has earned that title now. Though other local products have played on big stages, none has his trifecta of Premier League, Champions League, and World Cup experience. And if Aaronson makes this year’s World Cup squad, it will be his second — a feat Peter Vermes, Bobby Convey, and Chris Albright did not achieve.

That counts for something, just like the ability to watch a hometown hero play on the Premier League stage on TV every week. Leeds might not be as big of a club in Philadelphia as longtime powers like Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Liverpool, but children can grow up now wanting to emulate the 25-year-old whom Union fans once called “the Medford Messi.”

“It means the world,” Aaronson told The Inquirer. “When I’m able to see young kids back home — it’s possible to get over here, you know. It might not be easy sometimes to get to Europe being an American, but it’s always possible to play in the best leagues in the world. And for the kids, just keep believing in themselves and keep chasing their dreams.”

To some U.S. national team observers, Aaronson gets credit simply for being a regular player in the Premier League. Just four men have that status right now: he, Tyler Adams (Bournemouth), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), and Antonee Robinson (Fulham).

But if goals are what you care about most, you got what you asked for on Sunday. Aaronson scored his second of the season, sprinting past Ayden Heaven in the 62nd minute to grab a loose ball and slot it to the far corner. Elland Road roared as Aaronson sprinted to a corner of the Norman Hunter Stand, mock-shrugging in celebration then getting a hoist in the air from teammate Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

“That one felt really good, to be honest with you,” Aaronson said. “Of course, to score against your rival is huge, and I’m really proud of it. And keep going from here.”

Alas, Manchester United equalized just three minutes later, jumping on Leeds’ own defensive error. That was it for the day’s scoring, though Leeds had a few shots at a late winner that it couldn’t finish.

Winning over critics in Leeds

Aaronson had a strong day all over the field, throwing himself into eight defensive recoveries along with his attacking play. When he was subbed out in the 87th minute, the jam-packed crowd of 36,909 gave him a warm ovation.

Asked if he noticed the fans’ change of mood, Aaronson said, “For sure — I think it’s really good. But for myself, I’ve kind of kept this mentality of just staying straight and not letting myself get too high, not letting myself to get too low.”

Views on him have changed in the media, too. Graham Smyth, a veteran Leeds United beat reporter for the Yorkshire Evening Post newspaper, noted how Leeds manager Daniel Farke recently said Aaronson “polarizes opinion.” But Smyth’s player ratings for games show Aaronson’s rise in form and popularity. Aaronson earned an 8 out of 10 on Sunday, a level he has reached a few times recently.

“Right now, I don’t think anyone would disagree that he’s probably in his best moment as a Leeds player,” Smyth said. “The performances he’s managed to put in over the last couple of weeks, the end product that he’s managed to add to it as well — I don’t think I can remember a period where he has silenced his critics quite as effectively as this last little period.”

A moment later, he added something that would sound as familiar in Haddonfield as it does in Harrogate.

“Leeds fans have very long memories, and they don’t forgive easily,” Smyth said. “They don’t suffer fools lightly, and they don’t forgive easily. But there is always a route back to popularity if you’re an attacker, and it’s very simple: Score goals, make goals, because everyone celebrates them. And that’s the way for Aaronson.”

As coincidental as it was that Aaronson’s hometown newspaper watched him score, it also happened that some of his family were in attendance: father Rusty, mother Janell, sister Jaden (who just finished her freshman season on Villanova’s women’s soccer team), and fiancée Milana D’Ambra. While D’Ambra is able to spend a decent amount of time in England, Aaronson said his immediate family comes over “once or twice a year.”

They picked a good one.

“I think when they come out, to be honest, I probably have some of my best performances, so it was good,” Aaronson said. “It’s really good to have them out, always. It’s like home coming to you.”

The race for the World Cup

With six months to go until kickoff, the World Cup is also on his mind. There’s a big step to take before then, as he aims to make the squad for the U.S. team’s high-profile March friendlies against Portugal and Belgium. Those will be the last games before the tournament roster is named in late May.

Aaronson politely said making the team is “out of my control, so [I] just keep trying to perform the best on the field and I just go from there.” He also has plenty on his plate right now as Leeds try to avoid relegation from the Premier League, after having returned this season. In the previous two campaigns, the three teams that came up went straight down again, so Leeds has to buck a trend.

But he can hear two clocks ticking: the 154-year-old one on the Time Ball Buildings in Leeds’ city center, and the brand-new one at U.S. Soccer’s national training center in suburban Atlanta. The Premier League season ends on May 24, and the World Cup team will begin assembling the next day.

Pochettino and his staff will have noticed not just Aaronson’s good play lately, but how a tactical shift by Leeds manager Daniel Farke has helped. The 3-5-2 formation that Farke switched to recently puts Aaronson in a midfield spot that’s similar to where he plays for the U.S. — perhaps slightly deeper to start, but with latitude to press, get forward, and push the attack.

“It’s nice when you can play three in the back, because you have a little more freedom as an attacking player where you’re not having to defend as much,” Aaronson said. “So you kind of have the energy and you kind of have the legs to then, with the ball, do things. I really like playing the position when we play in a three-back [setup].”

On Sunday, Farke tweaked it a little, withdrawing one of the forwards to make it even more like Pochettino’s 3-4-2-1.

“I think for Brenden, it’s just important that you use him where he can play to his strengths,” Farke said. “I would never use him as a winger who just runs to the corner flag and puts some crosses in. So if he plays as a winger, then he has to have license to move into the pocket, to play closer to the striker, to play give-and-goes, and to use his mobility, and also that he likes to open up between the lines.”

He also said that Aaronson “deserves all the plaudits at the moment, because his work rate is and was never in doubt. He always works his socks off for the team.”

It was not the first time Farke praised Aaronson publicly, and some of the past times were when the player wasn’t doing so well. Aaronson gave his boss thanks for the support.

“It’s always great to know that the coach has your back, and for him to say the things that he’s said about me, it’s huge,” he said. “I think he really believes in me, he believes in my quality, and it means a lot when you’re a player because you feel like you can go out there and do your thing.”